


Snapshots of a Catered Affair

by itstonedme



Series: Beguilement Verse [13]
Category: Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-20
Updated: 2012-07-20
Packaged: 2017-11-15 00:29:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/521123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itstonedme/pseuds/itstonedme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern day AU.  A year has passed since the last chapter.  Elijah is now living with Orlando in London, where he is studying to become a chef.  Part 13 in the Beguilement Universe.  Originally posted on LJ <a href="http://itstonedme.livejournal.com/69413.html#cutid1">here</a>.  Banner by Stormatdusk.</p><p>Disclaimer: A work of fiction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snapshots of a Catered Affair

If Ian could give Elijah the world, he would, so great is the affection he has for his beautiful boy. Alas, the enormity of such a gift is beyond even Ian's prodigious abilities, so he gives him his kitchen instead.

"Just for one night," Elijah promises.

"One, two, four, Elijah, whatever you might need. You know that."

*

Elijah arrives several days ahead of the private party he has planned, to shop and prepare and review the RSVPs with Ian, to whom he entrusted the task of selecting the guest list. "Thank you for keeping the number to less than 40," Elijah tells him. "First night nerves, you know."

"Yes, well, thank you for understanding that when you say twenty, I hear forty," Ian replies.

*

And so, at the end of the first year of Elijah's culinary apprenticeship and education in London, one that has seen an increase in the time Orlando must devote to his treadmill and the pathways south of his neighbourhood along the Thames, Elijah takes over the kitchen of Ian's gallery in Amsterdam to prepare paired samplings of canapés, small plates and wines. He has brought two classmates to assist as sous chefs and has borrowed Ian's sommelier. Neither of these fellow chefs-in-training knows of his other work. "It's Amsterdam and this crowd is very gay, very outré," he tells them. "You may hear and see things that are shocking."

"Cool," they say as one, unconcerned. They are simply happy for paid work in an equipped kitchen on the continent, along with free accommodations and a chance to scope out the city's hash cafés. 

*

By and large, the event is a success, the misses only apparent to Elijah and certainly none of the guests, who are a discerning group – Ian has picked well – and full of positive and helpful feedback. "Maybe a blue in the first canapé rather than the chevre," one suggests. "It didn't quite challenge the palate as much as it could have."

"Excellent," Elijah replies with gap-toothed delight. "Give me ten minutes and I'll have one for you to try."

"Perhaps with roasted beet root," the critic adds. 

"And pear," Elijah contributes. "Let's make that twenty minutes."

*

All the food that could be prepared and served has been, and the guests are now content to see that no wine should remain in their bottles. Elijah has removed his apron and left cleanup of the kitchen to his classmates so that he can mingle with his guests.

Dom watches as Orlando momentarily steals Elijah away from the evening's pressure to a private corner, lips pressed close to praise and calm.

He feels arms slide around his waist as Ian comes up behind him, resting his chin lightly upon Dom's crown. "What I wouldn't give to see those two _in flagrante,"_ Ian says wistfully as he tracks Dom's sight line.

Dom smiles as Elijah screws up his face at something Orlando has said. "That can be arranged, you know."

Ian hums, either in complicity or merely at that thought, and they continue watching the two, silently. "We wouldn't want them to ever know, would we," Ian finally says, and Dom's lips crease into a smile.

*

After the event, Elijah and Orlando book themselves into a hotel for the night since the flat has been given over to the sous chefs. They choose L'Europa for old times' sake. It is unfortunate that 'their' old room, the one Orlando stayed in the night of Ian's gallery opening, is not available. "It doesn't matter," Elijah tells him. "A room is just a room."

Orlando figures this is something Elijah would certainly know.

*

What a difference a year makes, Orlando reflects. He is surprised at how Elijah's past has not come back to haunt him, surprised at his own personal comfort discussing Elijah's management concerns in Amsterdam, issues with past clients who persist on meeting only with Elijah, and how those and many other matters get dealt with. 

Most pleasant has been how true to his word Elijah has been about making this transition into becoming a chef. Their domestic life has been busy, both of them buried in work, sometimes too tired for sex, which only makes their relationship stronger, it seems. The bed has become a place of sharing, of support and encouragement and rest. They are constantly pleased with how easily they have become friends. They both have in common a certain innate coolness of temper, although Orlando is less reticent about revealing his emotional side, something Elijah is learning to share, if only a little and only with Orlando. Not a lot, but a little.

And with Dom, of course. Always with Dom. Which Orlando understands and is not jealous of. As a result, neither is Dom anymore. In fact, nowadays Orlando and Dom chat on the phone like old hens whenever time allows which is usually once a week, the Brit thing kicking in – footie, places, social scenes. "Anything but food and fucking," Dom insists.

They all own two mobiles now, one for London, one for Amsterdam. 

As to the work Elijah will find after he graduates, nothing firm is in place. Ian has offered to add him to his staff for a term, but Elijah thinks he may need a busier kitchen for a year and something more haute cuisine, just for the experience. 

"Let me build you something," Orlando has told him.

"How very Taj Mahal," Elijah teases.

"Don't think you wouldn't be paying for it," Orlando laughs. "But seriously, your own catering shop."

"We'll see," Elijah smiles, kissing him. 

*

They are back in London two nights later when Elijah asks, "Apart from enjoying a little cock trussing and wrist tying, what other kinky things don't I know about you?" 

"I don't know. I'm pretty straight. For someone who's not."

"You like watching two guys get it on?"

"You mean, like pornos? If they're well done, who doesn't?"

"No. I was thinking more live."

"Depends," Orlando says cautiously, imagining all shades of nasty sex clubs and glory holes.

"You ever think about being the one who is watched?"

"No, not really. Where's this going?"

"You ever think you'd let a good friend watch you maybe make out with me?"

Orlando smiles suspiciously, clearly puzzled, his mind moving only in one direction. "Where the fuck is this going?"

"You ever think you'd let a dear aging friend of ours maybe watch you making love to me when he thinks we don't know he's watching?"

Orlando keeps smiling, his mind piecing, piecing. "Ahhhh," he finally says. "Yeahhhh. Hmmm. I'd have to think about that."

"You do that," Elijah smiles, weaselling in for a kiss.

"Hmmm," Orlando says, still thinking. 

"Hmmm," he says a little later in the evening as he's loading the dishwasher. 

"Hmmm," he says to himself that night while he's brushing his teeth. 

"Okay," he says in the morning.

Elijah leans in for a kiss. "You're a good man, Orlando Bloom. And maybe a bit of a whore at heart."

"It's not that," Orlando says after their lips part. "If not for Ian, we'd have never met."

"Ah," Elijah says, eyes lingering on Orlando's lips, concentrating really hard so that they might lean forward once more. "My mistake. A whore _with_ heart."


End file.
